Geneticists, anthropologists, biologists, and evolutionary theorists have all studied the development of the human genome over time. While culture has shifted rapidly since the Neolithic revolution (the dawn of agriculture), our basic physiology remains the same. Nutritionists and medical theorists propose that most chronically degenerative diseases and lifestyle-related ailments are the direct result of these changes in cultural behavior and diet, which stray from our physical foundation.
4 comments:
This is such an interesting and weird idea. In a time where we're pushing the limits of technology especially in regards to new maker technologies and the like (CNC, 3D printers, etc.), it's not often one thinks about what would happen if we went the other way. I'm not sure how much I like this idea. One thing I, and so many others, love about theater is its ability to create and transport you to new and different places. Not to say this isn't possible, but in set locations it becomes harder to cast the illusion of more fantastical places without the introduction of other things into that setting. I guess a certain amount of manipulation is allowable in this Paleo theater, so long as it adheres to the general idea of using what the environment itself has to offer, but I'm not sure if that same feeling one gets in a closed theater. I just feel like this might be one of those things that sounds like a cool, fun, and different idea, but only works if it's done really really well. I think my hesitation in accepting this as an incredible concept comes from fear of it falling short and not delivering that theater experience that so many seek. But then again, maybe it's not meant to deliver the same thing at all and that's ok.
I really like the idea of this because of the research behind it that the article is calling for support. The whole portion discussing that the ideal group is less than 150 people is interesting because when I think about it that makes a lot of sense. In high school, my class was 70 students, and the class below us was around 75; therefore, the two together would be 145 which is close to the recommended number. When I think about it, the two classes were very close and could have existed together for a while. Also, everyone knew everyone’s names in those two classes; however, that was less true for the Sophomores and Freshmen when we were seniors. We only really knew the people we interacted with through our daily activities and there were large chunks that we wouldn’t know. I also enjoy this article commenting on allowing the theatre to be easily accessible by various forms of transportation because that is something important to me.
While I realize the point of this article is to somehow go back to the fundamentals of theatre and calling it a flashy name like "Paleo", it actually reminds me of something else. Since the large majority of my family lives in france, I occasionally visit with my family, and while I went to France much more frequently when I was a child, I still remember a particular museum/themed experience called the "Paleosite". It was simply a kind of kid-focused paleo period museum with a ton of interactive exhbits, spear-throwing, fire-making and all that. But it made me think of the role that theater and live performance have in telling history. Perhaps the largest and most present example of this in our minds is the broadway smash hit Hamilton, which is essentially a documentary on the life of Alexander Hamilton packaged in a rad musical, but for how many people will this be their only introductoin to the life of Hamilton? The question extends to Ragtime, a production of which we are currently in the midst of producing. While not a bad thing, we must be conscious of how much a role theater plays in history.
This is interesting, and I am intrigued by the idea of Paleo theater but I don't think that there is much of a future in it. I am not really qualified enough to make that call, I am not an anthropologist or the most knowledgeable person in the world or can see the future but I don't know how well dirt theater is going to sell. I guess there is a small market, and maybe if you find a place (like France or other parts of Europe) where there are lots of people who enjoy that sort of environmental theater you might be able to make some money. But from a purely financial standpoint there is very little market for environmental theater or for Paleo theater. I hope that one day we can maybe get a point where there is a larger market for different types of theater, and I think that we are getting there but we aren't yet. Again what do I know though, I am not a dirt theater expert.
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